On December 29, Beijing time, the 2021-22 NBA regular season continued. In a just-concluded Battle of Western Focus, the Lakers defeated the Rockets 132:123 on the road, ending a long 5-game losing streak and turning the record into 17 wins and 18 losses!
The Lakers' ability to win today is directly related to the excellent performance of the two giants. James had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists today, and Westbrook's performance also picked up significantly, cutting 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. However, there is another person who is the hero of the Lakers' victory today, and he is Munch. Munch replaced Tucker today and ushered in the starting opportunity, the whole game, Munch played 40 minutes, 7 of 14 shots, including 3 of 7 three-pointers, 8 of 8 free throws, 25 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, plus-minus +11 high in the team's second place.
In the first quarter, Munch scored seven points, one assist and one steal, including a three-pointer. In the second quarter, Munch was one of 2 outside the line, but his best performance came from within the three-second zone. He repeatedly scored inside the line to cause the Rockets to foul, and all four times in a single quarter stood on the free throw line. Before the end of the quarter, Munch received a pass from Tucker, borrowed James' cover to rush to the basket on the left side, and then took off to stage a gliding one-arm dunk.
In the second half, Munch continued to play the role of the Lakers' Wizards, hitting another three-pointer in the third quarter, scoring 5 points and 1 assist in a single quarter. In the final showdown, Munch played the full quarter and scored 4 points to help the Lakers beat the Rockets.
It has to be said that since the beginning of this season, Munch has been the most stable link among the Lakers' role players. After being isolated because of the trigger agreement, Munch has returned in the last two games, in which Munch has scored a total of 45 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting a total of 15 of 27 shots, perfectly completing his task. He also proved through today's performance that he deserves the starting position of the Lakers.